Social Studies/
Social Sciences
The Ridgewood Public Schools Social Studies program empowers students to become responsible learners in the global community of the 21st Century. Our learners will interpret, analyze, and evaluate documentary source information from a multitude of authors and time periods as a means of conducting authentic, historically based research. Students versed in the social studies are active, informed and empathetic individuals. Only through a deep understanding of the past can one appreciate the realities of the present and possibilities of the future. This program encourages life-long learning that reflects social and historical realities.
The Social Studies/Social Sciences curriculum at Ridgewood High School contains three major areas of study. The first area of study is a World History survey. The second area of study consists of a two-year sequence of United States History and a group of alternative programs which also satisfy the United States History requirement. The third major area of study consists of a variety of full year and half-year courses in History and the Social Sciences which, taken together, make up the Elective Program.
With few exceptions, Ridgewood High School students meet their World History requirement in their freshman year, and their two-year United States History requirement in their sophomore and junior years. Students may take any Elective Program offering in the 11th or 12th grades.
World History (2104SS)
Full-Year Course; Level - College Prep; Grade 9
Credit Value 5.0
Prerequisite: None
History of the Modern World (2114SS)
Full-Year Course; Level - College Prep; Grade 9
Credit Value 5.0
Prerequisite: Grade 8 English and Social Studies Teacher Recommendations; Also Enrolled in English 9 Literary World Views
The World History and History of the Modern World courses bring history alive through a carefully developed chronological and thematic approach, providing students with a firm grasp of the sweep of Western and Non-Western history. This survey of World History provides comprehensive coverage of historical events, facts and concepts with coverage from Ages of Enlightenment and Revolutions through the Globalization of the Modern World.
United States History I (2304SS)
Full-Year Course; Level - College Prep; Grade 10
Credit Value 5.0
Prerequisite: World History
United States History I Honors (2302SS)
Full-Year Course; Level - Honors; Grade 10
Credit Value 5.0
Prerequisites: World History; Teacher Recommendation
This is the first half of a two-year sequence, which constitutes the sophomore year of the History/Social Science program at the high school. It satisfies the requirements of New Jersey standards in the area, and is required for all students who do not choose an alternate United States History I or II sequence. This survey course follows a flexible chronology, which broadly covers the panorama of our nation’s development over a period of three centuries from colonization and settlement through the Industrial Revolution.
United States History II (2404SS)
Full-Year Course; Level - College Prep; Grade 11
Credit Value 5.0
Prerequisites: United States History I
United States History II Honors (2402SS)
Full-Year Course; Level - Honors; Grade 11
Credit Value 5.0
Prerequisites: United States History I; Teacher Recommendation
This is the second half of a two-year sequence. Continuing the survey of American History begun in the sophomore year, it deals with the major events which have shaped and molded our nation in the 20th and 21st centuries. As in the case of United States History I, the course is intended to meet the requirements established by the State of New Jersey, and our district-wide curriculum frameworks. The survey examines the ever-changing political scene, as well as social and economic developments. It pays particular attention to world affairs, major wars, and contemporary problems and conflicts both internal and external, an understanding of which is a prerequisite to their solution.
United States History I The American Experience I (2314SS)
Full-Year Course; Level - College Prep; Grade 10
Credit Value 5.0
Prerequisite: World History, Recommendations from Grade 9 English and World History teachers
United States History II The American Experience II (2324SS)
Full-Year Course; Level - College Prep; Grade 11
Credit Value 5.0
Prerequisite: Students not currently enrolled in the American Experience I course may apply for entrance into the junior year American Experience II course with recommendations from US History I Teacher
This is a two-year sequence of English and History classes, which correlates American Literature with American History. The course is an alternative to the traditional English and Social Studies core course offerings at Grades 10 & 11. The program is open to a limited number of college prep level students who have demonstrated passion for history-related subjects, task commitment, and general creative thinking and intellectual curiosity. The two-year sequence features a pair of teachers (one English, one History) who collaborate around enduring understandings that connect facets of American history with themes in American literature. In the English section, the poetry, drama, novels and essays selected are those contemporary with the period being studied in History. Included are many of the important American writers. As the two classes often meet consecutively, teachers can extend instructional activities for special purposes. Opportunities for site-based learning align with particular units of study.
United States History I American Humanities (2352SS)
Full-Year Course; Level - College Prep; Grade 10
Credit Value 5.0
Prerequisite: Student also enrolled in English 10 American Humanities
This is a two-year sequence of English and History classes. The 10th grade course is a thematic, project-based course that will explore technological and traditional arts, American literature, and U.S. history from settlement through the aftermath of the Civil War. The course will follow the traditional United States History I timeline with the integration of contemporary events connected to several themes, including: Settlement, Revolution, Conflict, Human Rights, Nation Building, Nationalism, and Sectionalism. Additionally, existing technology and arts programs will be integrated (digital photography, robotics, coding, etc.).
United States History I American Studies I (2342SS)
Full-Year Course; Level - Honors; Grade 10
Credit Value 5.0
Prerequisite: Application Process; Summer Work
United States History II American Studies II (2452SS)
Full-Year Course; Level - Honors; Grade 11
Credit Value 5.0
Prerequisites: United States History I American Studies I; Summer Work
This is a two-year sequence of English and history classes, which correlates American Literature with American History. The course is an alternative to English 10 and 11 and to United States I and II, and is open to students who have demonstrated both the interest and ability to handle a demanding program. English and History classes meet consecutively, so that if the teachers wish, students can be grouped for special instructional purposes.
In the History section, a wide variety of primary sources supplements the regular textbook. In the English section, poetry, drama, novels and essays are contemporary with the period being studied in history. Included are most of the important American writers. Assignments in the program are usually long-term rather than daily. Emphasis is placed on composition, analysis, and research. In the History section, many assignments result from position papers or essays that stress a solid grasp of factual material plus independence of judgment. English papers and tests task the student to evaluate critically the literature studied. Opportunities for site-based learning align with particular units of study.
United States History I American History & Literature with Integrated Study in the Arts I (2312SS)
Full-Year Course; Level - Honors; Grade 10
Credit Value 5.0
Prerequisites: Application Process; Summer Work
United States History II American History & Literature with Integrated Study in the Arts II (2412SS)
Full-Year Course; Level - Honors; Grade 11
Credit Value 5.0
Prerequisites: U.S. History I AHLISA I; Summer Work
This is an interdisciplinary course that creatively integrates study in the fine and performing arts with a strong academic focus on the study of both history and literature. With instructors from the English, History, Art and Design, and Performing Arts departments, students will explore the complex interrelationship between history and literature not only through traditional means, but also through exposure to and analysis of the visual, musical and theatrical work of the various time periods. Students will be expected to demonstrate their growing knowledge through the creation of images, musical compositions, creative writing and theatrical performances that both intellectually and artistically assimilate and synthesize historical and literary material. This honors level course meets the requirements of U.S. I, U.S. II, English 10 and English 11. Students participate for two years. Art instructors visit English and History classes to coordinate study of contemporary arts with particular historical periods, and works of literature.
Classes meet back-to-back to provide extended time for interdisciplinary teaching and discussion, independent study, presentation and performance of creative projects and field trips. Work in this course will require students to take intellectual leaps and risks, to collaborate constructively not only with one another, but also with instructors in designing and evaluating projects. The unique focus of the course allows the students ample opportunity for alternative assessments. The course simulates student motivation and encourages student creativity. In addition to earning honors credit in both History and English, all students will earn art credit through the successful design and completion of all independent arts projects that demonstrate, explore and express their knowledge and understanding of the various historical periods. Students are selected by an application process.
United States History I AP (2310SS)
Full-Year Course; Level - Advanced Placement; Grade 10
Credit Value 5.0
Prerequisites: World History; Teacher Recommendation
United States History II AP (2400SS)
Full-Year Course; Level - Advanced Placement; Grade 11
Credit Value 5.0
Prerequisites: U.S. History I H/AP; Teacher Recommendation
These courses are designed to provide students with the analytic skills and factual knowledge necessary to deal critically with problems and material in United States History. This program will prepare students for intermediate and advanced college courses by making demands upon them equivalent to those of full year introductory college courses. Students will learn to assess historical materials – their relevance to a given interpretive problem, their reliability, and their importance – and to weigh the evidence and interpretations presented in historical scholarship. The Advanced Placement United States History courses will develop the skills necessary to arrive at conclusions on the basis of an informed judgment and to present ideas clearly and persuasively in essay format.
The course will provide students with knowledge of primary sources, including documentary material, maps, statistical tables and pictorial and graphic evidence of historical events. Students will learn to take notes from both printed materials and lectures or discussions, write essay examinations, and write analytical and research papers. They will learn to express themselves with clarity and precision and to cite sources and credit the phrases and ideas of others. This is a two-year sequence course recommended only for students with very strong academic skills who can capably navigate an AP Board certified curricula.
American Government & Politics AP (2900SS)
Elective Full-Year Course; Level - Advanced Placement; Grade 11-12
Credit Value 5.0
Prerequisites: Teacher Recommendation
American Government & Politics AP will require that the student learn facts and concepts and understand typical political processes in order to gain a thorough and systematic comprehension of the United States government. Further, the student will learn to use specific information to evaluate and critique general propositions about government and politics.
This course will also provide students with the skills and factual knowledge to analyze documentary material, primary resources, statistical tables and pictorial and graphic evidence. Students will understand and appreciate the relevance of these documents and sources and evaluate their importance in American political scholarship. A major goal of the course will be to aid students in writing analytically with both clarity and precision. They will learn to distinguish the essential from the incidental, understand and evaluate competing arguments, and formulate and express opinions on our political and policy-making processes, based on informed judgments. Major units of study include, but are not limited to: The Foundations of the U. S. Government, The Institutions of the National Government, Civil Rights and Liberties, Political Beliefs and Behaviors, Political Parties, Interest Groups and Mass Media, and the Implementation of Public Policy.
The Power of One: Reflections on the Holocaust & the 21st Century (2954SS)
Elective Semester Course; Level - College Prep; Grades 11-12
Credit Value 2.5
Prerequisites: None
The Power of One: Reflections on the Holocaust & the 21st Century Honors (2962SS)
Elective Semester Course; Level - Honors; Grade 11-12
Credit Value 2.5
Prerequisites: Teacher Recommendation
Through the study of Holocaust literature and media, as well as contemporary topics and materials, students will learn that decisions made by individuals and organizations not only impact history, but resonate with all of humanity today. Various roles – survivors, upstanders, bystanders, collaborators, perpetrators and victims will be examined in detail through the exploration of various genres: fiction, poetry, diaries, oral histories, art, music, and video. Students will realize that historical events were not inevitable and that one person’s choices impact not only the individual, but a community and society, as a whole. They will explore the parallels between history and today and see the power that one individual may possess. Students will learn that a person of any age can truly alter the course of events.
Classical Foundations of America (2932SS)
Elective Semester Course; Level - Honors; Grade 11-12
Credit Value 2.5
Prerequisite: Successful Completion of a Level III Language
For generations, the story of Ancient Rome’s rise and fall has fueled hopes for national greatness and fears for the fate of America’s republic. Are we Rome? Will America’s rise to world leadership last for a thousand years? Or will our nation come to ruin, like the great Empire of Ancient Rome? What lessons does Rome teach us? These questions have haunted Americans since the founding of the new nation in 1776, and they are still with us today.
Classical Foundations of America views the lost world of Ancient Rome through American eyes. The course uncovers the classical spirit that inspired Rome’s impact on the nation and asks, “What enduring lessons does Rome have for America today?” Classical Foundations of America will explore the political, architectural, educational, and social practices and philosophies that formed both early and contemporary American society.
Contemporary Issues in Social Science (2702SS)
Elective Full-Year Course; Level - Honors; Grades 11-12
Credit Value 5.0
Prerequisite: Teacher Recommendation
This is a course that is intended to give students a survey of issues that American politicians grapple with, as well as an overview of the policy process. This survey will address the issues most pertinent to the day by providing a historical context for how the issues have been dealt with, while also keeping current with the most recent developments. This course will require an extensive student-centered research component along with a greater analysis of primary sources.
The major divisions of Contemporary Issues in Social Sciences are: the relationship between government and business; economic issues of taxing, spending and budgeting; principles of energy policy; the implementation of environmental policy; dilemmas of social control in creating a criminal justice system; the effectiveness of social-safety nets; health care costs and benefits; the focus of education policy; security versus rights in the creating of a defense policy; issues of international and domestic oppression; and, the multi-dimensional phenomenon of suburbanization.
European History AP (2210SS)
Elective Full-Year Course; Level - Advanced Placement; Grades 11-12
Credit Value 5.0
Prerequisite: Teacher Recommendation
This course is designed to meet the needs of those students who wish to prepare for the Advanced Placement test in European History, and for those students who wish to add depth and historical perspective to their studies of the arts and sciences. Although the political, economic and social development of rich and varied European cultures (1400-1970) forms the core of the course content, special emphasis is placed on the intellectual currents, from Aquinas to Marx, which have helped shape the 21st Century world in which we live. This is a demanding course recommended only for students with very strong academic skills.
The course will provide students with knowledge of primary sources, including documentary material, maps, statistical tables, and pictorial and graphic evidence of historical events. Students will learn to take notes from both printed materials and lectures or discussions, write essay examinations, and write analytical and research papers. They will learn to express themselves with clarity and precision and to cite sources and credit the phrases and ideas of others. Students should be prepared to meet demands that are equivalent to those of a first-year college course.
Film as History: The 20th Century (2754SS)
Elective Semester Course; Level - College Prep; Grades 11-12
Credit Value 2.5
Prerequisite: None
The course is designed to expose students to some of the major events from designated eras of the 1900s. Through the examination of movies and documentaries, we will attempt to assess the validity of Hollywood production as a means to capture the essence of historical events. In addition, we hope to spark new interests in the study of history.
Global Economics (2712SS)
Elective Semester Course; Level - Honors; Grades 11-12
Credit Value 2.5
Prerequisites: Teacher Recommendation
This course will consider the opportunities and challenges presented to the United States by virtue of globalization in the 21st Century. Students will think critically about problems concerning international trade, such as world flow of goods and services, capital and labor, information and technology, and the world’s financial markets.
History of American Society & Culture (2744SS)
Elective Full-Year Course; Level - College Prep; Grades 11-12
Credit Value 5.0
Prerequisites: None
This is an interactive course designed to explore the events in American History that gave shape to various cultural groups throughout America. This course will focus on the historical timeline beginning at the turn of the 20th century, with the development of African American culture, through the Civil and Women’s Rights Movements, to the MTV/Facebook generations. Students will explore urbanization and the formation of city culture, and the rise of American pop culture, including its influential people. Readings, discussion, and analysis of music, fashion and media influence, including advertising, as they contribute to America as a consumer nation, adds a multidimensional aspect for students. Critical thinking exercises both oral and written will lead students to the understanding of social and cultural reality as it transformed from 1900 through present day.
Human Geography (2514SS)
Elective Full-Year Course; Level - College Prep; Grades 11-12
Credit Value 5.0
Prerequisites: None
Human Geography Honors (2512SS)
Elective Full-Year Course; Level - Honors; Grades 11-12
Credit Value 5.0
Prerequisites: Teacher Recommendation
Human Geography AP (2516SS)
Elective Full-Year Course; Level - Advanced Placement; Grades 11-12
Credit Value 5.0
Prerequisite: Teacher Recommendation
The purpose of the Human Geography course is to introduce students to the systematic study of patterns and processes that have shaped human understanding, use, and alteration of Earth's surface. Students learn to employ spatial concepts and landscape analysis to examine human socioeconomic organization and its environmental consequences. They also learn about the methods and tools geographers use in their research and applications.
Law – Criminal (2882SS)
Elective Semester Course; Level - Honors; Grades 11-12
Credit Value: 2.5
Prerequisites: Teacher Recommendation
In this course, students will study the basic principles, functions and purposes of lawyers and the legal system, as well as criminal law and juvenile justice. Topics shall include the rationale for laws, an introduction to the legal system, organization and functioning of the courts and an in-depth study of criminal law including crime and its causes and the U.S. Constitutional protections for those accused of a crime. Specific topics discussed have included gang violence, physician assisted suicide, gun control, vigilante justice, and capital punishment. The course focuses frequently on current issues and the practical application of law in our daily lives as well as each student’s responsibilities under the law.
Law – Constitutional (2892SS)
Elective Semester Course; Level - Honors; Grades 11-12
Credit Value: 2.5
Prerequisites: Teacher Recommendation
In this course, students will study great individual freedoms and rights guaranteed to all citizens under the Bill of Rights and other provisions of the U.S. Constitution and federal statutes, including freedoms of speech, religion, the press, assembly and the right to privacy. Civil rights issues and discrimination based on race, religion, gender and handicap are also covered. Specific topics discussed have included symbolic protest speech, hate speech, defamation, obscenity, limits on reporters, the clash of religion and the government, abortion and personal privacy, and affirmative action. Student rights and responsibilities in these areas are frequently incorporated into units of study. The course focuses on current issues and the practical application of law in our daily lives.
Microeconomics/Macroeconomics AP (2830SS)
Elective Full-Year Course; Level - Advanced Placement; Grades 11-12
Credit Value: 5.0
Prerequisites: Teacher Recommendation
This course is designed to provide students with the analytic skills and factual knowledge necessary to deal critically and creatively with economic problems. This program will prepare students for undergraduate study by making demands upon them equivalent to those of a full year introductory college course. The Advanced Placement course will develop the skills necessary to arrive at conclusions on the basis of an informed judgment and to present ideas clearly and persuasively in essay format. The Advanced Placement Microeconomics course will emphasize the behavior of individual decision makers within the larger economic system and the skills necessary for rational decision making. It will place primary emphasis on the nature and function of product markets and the role of the government in the economy. Macroeconomics teaches students to have a thorough understanding of the principles of economics that apply to a total economic system. It will place particular emphasis on national income and price determination and also cover measurement of economic performance, economic growth, and international economics. This is a demanding course, recommended only for students with very strong academic skills.
Modern European History (2202SS)
Elective Full-Year Course; Level - Honors; Grades 11-12
Credit Value: 5.0
Prerequisites: Teacher Recommendation
This course surveys the sweep of European History and culture from the end of medieval time to the present day with particular emphasis on those events which follow the French Revolution. Major areas of study include: the conflict between forces of change and the forces of continuity, the Reformation, the development of absolutism, the Age of Reason, the growth of constitutional government and democracy, the French Revolution and the Age of Napoleon, the Challenge of socialism, imperialism, the causes and effects of World War I, the growth of totalitarianism, World War II and the need for international security, the Russian Revolution and the Soviet Union, the Cold War, and issues of contemporary Europe.
Western/Non-Western Philosophy (2852SS)
Elective Full-Year Course; Level - Honors; Grades 11-12
Credit Value: 5.0
Prerequisites: Teacher Recommendation
The sequence of Western and Non-Western philosophy is an inquiry into the principles of knowledge and valid reasoning, the foundations of morality, law, and society and the fundamental structures of reality. This course is organized thematically. We will study the major representatives of both Western and Non-Western philosophy through their answers to eternal problems or questions. Tracing the lines of Western Philosophy, beginning in the Classical Greek period, and the sometimes earlier development of similar lines of thought in the Hindu, Chinese, and Islamic traditions, this course will expand the quest for knowledge through engagement with major human attempts to answer similar questions. Beginning with questions that we share with these traditions, Western/Non-Western Philosophy will investigate the remarkable phenomenon that is human philosophical inquiry in its continuities and differences across world cultures. Major cultures and traditions studies include Western philosophy in its ancient, medieval and modern forms (including representatives of the analytical and continental traditions), ancient Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Taosim, Confucianism and Native American thought.
Psychology (2624SS)
Elective Full-Year Course; Level - College Prep; Grades 11-12
Credit Value: 5.0
Prerequisites: None
Psychology Honors (2622SS)
Elective Full-Year Course; Level - Honors; Grades 11-12
Credit Value: 5.0
Prerequisites: Teacher Recommendation
Psychology introduces students to the overall study of human behavior and the research methods/statistics used by psychologists to answer basic questions concerning the human condition. Topics such as human development, learning, memory, personality theories, mental illness, therapy types, social psychology and altered states of consciousness are explored. In addition to reading and class discussions, information will be gathered through experiments and demonstrations. Students are encouraged to pursue further investigation of those topics of particular interest to them. Students will develop the ability to conduct scientific field research in areas of their special interest within the social sciences. They will learn how to analyze their data and draw conclusions. Students will develop the ability to express in written form the findings of their research by preparing formal American Psychological Association (APA) style written reports. Students will be engaged in other individual and group projects. Students will participate in seminar-based presentations and discussions on class topics.
Psychology AP (2600SS)
Elective Full-Year Course; Level - Advanced Placement; Grades 11-12
Credit Value: 5.0
Prerequisites: Teacher Recommendation
This course is a college level course of study in psychology. It provides the student with the critical thinking skills and in depth knowledge necessary for passing the Advanced Placement Exam for Psychology offered by the College Board. The topics are varied and comprehensive as outlined by the College Board requirements. The pace of this course is rigorous.
Revenge, Justice & Social Mores in Greek Tragedy (2942SS)
Elective Semester Course; Level - Honors; Grades 11-12
Credit Value: 2.5
Prerequisites: Successful Completion of a Level III Language; Teacher Recommendation
This course is a reading-based course focusing on Ancient Greek and Roman perspectives on revenge and justice as depicted in Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, Aristophanes and Seneca. The course will examine texts in connection with Greco-Roman culture and posit connections between literature and custom. The course will ask and form answers to the following essential question: How are social mores both embedded in the literature and reflective of society as a whole?
Ridgewood Leaders (2530SS)
Elective Full -Year Course; Level - College Prep; Grade 11-12
Credit Value: 5.0
Prerequisites: None
Ridgewood Leaders Honors (2532SS)
Elective Full -Year Course; Level - Honors; Grade 11-12
Credit Value: 5.0
Prerequisites: Teacher Recommendation
This course represents an outgrowth from RHS Teen Leads, a civic engagement and leadership development extracurricular club initially based upon the Volunteer Center of Bergen County's highly successful adult program, Bergen LEADS. Throughout this course, members of Ridgewood Leaders will come to understand the principles of civics and how our local community government executes public policy. The students of Ridgewood Leaders will select a prominent local issue and conduct thorough research throughout the length of the course in order to propose a practical solution. Field trips, guest speakers, and other authentic and relevant experiences will help students formulate this research proposal in advance of a presentation of findings to a panel of local community leaders at the end of the year.
Ridgewood in History (2732SS)
Elective Semester Course; Level - Honors; Grade 12
Credit Value: 2.5
Prerequisites: Teacher Recommendation
This is a thematic and interdisciplinary course open to seniors upon the successful completion of both U.S. I and U.S. II. In this class, students will do the work of historians as they complete group projects exploring the history of Ridgewood and its citizens. As a result, this course seeks students that are interested in the local history of their community, and display appropriate research, historical writing and technology based skills.
Sociology (2502SS)
Elective Full-Year Course; Level - Honors; Grades 11-12
Credit Value: 5.0
Prerequisites: Teacher Recommendation
This course provides a secondary school equivalent to an introductory college course in sociology. The course provides a rigorous examination of the structure and functioning of society. Within this context, areas of study include: an exploration of the methods employed by sociologists, an analysis of culture, the structure of group life and an examination of the process of socialization and its impact on both the individual and society. The course concludes with an extended study of inequality in various incarnations such as class, race, and gender in modern American society. Writing and critical thinking skills are emphasized. A background in honors level classes is highly recommended.
Senior Seminar (2252SS)
Elective Full-Year Course; Level - Honors/Advanced Placement; Grade 12
Credit Value: 5.0
Prerequisites: Teacher Recommendation
This course is designed for highly motivated students interested in learning about Global Studies. The program focuses on the development of academic commitment through self-directed student learning experiences. This senior culminating experience aims to heighten student global awareness and compels them to consider their place in the world.
Modeled on the Socratic Seminar, this course emphasizes independent research and study interwoven with intensive discussion and dialogue in a small class setting. The prospective Seminar student must meet the prerequisite of having earned a B or higher in an Honors level English class during the two preceding academic years. This is a demanding course, recommended only for students with very strong academic skills. Students who select Senior Social Studies Seminar must also select Senior Seminar English.
The Stock Market and the Economy (2822SS)
Elective Semester Course; Level - Honors; Grades 11-12
Credit Value: 2.5
Prerequisites: Teacher Recommendation
This course emphasizes decision-making on fundamentals and technical analysis of stocks and current economic issues that impact stock purchasing and pricing. It presents a host of tools to help students analyze economic issues that come to bear on stock markets and how market tendencies affect company behavior and stock price. Special attention is given to the principles and psychology of investing using paper trading through stockmarketgame.org. Students have the opportunity to join DECA, the co-curricular business club, and participate in regional, state, and national competitions.
The Trojan War (2952SS)
Elective Semester Course; Level - Honors; Grades 11-12
Credit Value: 2.5
Prerequisites: Successful Completion of a Level III Language; Teacher Recommendation
The conflict of the Trojan War encompasses a compelling intersection of history and mythology. Homer’s “Iliad” teaches social expectations through his retelling of the war, and the great tragedians of Ancient Greece accurately depict the toll of warfare on humanity and on families. This set of texts provides a rich foundation in the culture of the Bronze Age, which has themes that echo into modern humanities as well.
Civics (9212SL)
Full-Year Course; Level - CPS; Grade 12
Credit Value: 5.0
Prerequisites: Social Studies Teacher Recommendation or Child Study Team Recommendation
This course is a survey of the United States government and the responsibilities of citizenship. Students will study government on the national, state and local level to analyze laws, policies and the rights of the people. Students will be exposed to the major ideas, protections, privileges, structures, and economic systems that affect the life of a citizen in the United States political system. Students will also be able to identify some of the challenges in United States foreign policy and other issues facing Americans as well as understand their role as citizens at all levels of government and in the world today. Major areas of study will include: foundations of the American government; branches of government; the Bill of Rights; state and local government; the role of the federal government in the American economic system; and, global issues with a focus on current events.
The Global Citizen (2520SS)
Full-Year Course; Level - College Prep; Grades 11-12
Credit Value: 5.0
Prerequisite: None
The Global Citizen Honors (2521SS)
Full-Year Course; Level - Honors; Grades 11-12
Credit Value: 5.0
Prerequisite: Teacher Recommendation
This course examines the global issues that significantly impact communities and how these issues create citizenship challenges. By drawing upon historical and contemporary data, students will understand how changes caused by modern development affect individuals and society in the areas that are of most concern to global communities, such as the influence of social media, poverty, climate, education, health, and the environment. This course empowers students to utilize their newly acquired knowledge for ethical decision-making with humility, integrity, and a sound conscience.